A Brief History of Personality-Driven Luxury Travel Companies
Photo Credit: An Abercrombie & Kent safari camp constructed in the Moroccan desert. Luxury travel has evolved significantly over the years. Abercrombie & Kent
Skift Take
These four entrepreneurs took the first steps toward what would become modern adventure and luxury travel, and their first-hand accounts hold lessons — and entertainment — for all those who followed in their wake.
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Between 1962 and 1979, four of today’s largest and most successful luxury travel companies emerged.
Built around the personalities of a single explorer enchanted by the world and enabled by commercial aviation, these companies have stood the test of time despite broad changes in industry operation and customer expectation.
Skift spoke with Geoffrey Kent, George Butterfield, Sven-Olof Lindblad, and Andrew Harper throughout the summer to tell the story of how these businesses emerged, how they adapted over 55 years, why they stayed independent (or didn't), and what challenges they face for the future.
The Right Conditions
None of today's luxury travel pioneers set out to build the world's most successful full-service travel companies. They were lawyers, photographers, polo players, and editors before diving deep into the trav
